Life's Final Moments
by Razvanor
Summary: Kenshin is dying. Kaoru is dying. Based off the final episode in Rurouni Kenshsin (which I did not see, by the way)


Life's Final Moments 

Ok, here's the deal. I decided to write my own fan fiction after reading so many other stories.

Standard Disclaimers apply. I do not own Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki and Sony do.

Pain. Horrible, maddening pain gripped Kenshin's wearied body. Wave upon wave of nausea seemed to slam into him like the waves of a perturbed sea. He stumbled off the Tokyo docks and started walking down the hot and dusty streets toward home.

Home, the word tasted sweet to his lips. He would see his wife again, at least once again. He would kiss his wife, one final time. He would say goodbye to her, just once more.

He crossed the bridge to behold the all too familiar road. He could see the dojo in the distance. Then he saw her. She was also walking down the street, although her usually unwavering steps lacked the finesse of her former days. Finesse that the disease had taken away. But she still walked, a smile firmly planted on her still beautiful face; her legs moving in the resolute determination he had come to know so well.

Then, his strength fled from him, leaving him, never to return again. He felt the wind whistle past his ears as he slowly plummeted toward the ground. He feebly tried to regain his footing, but his legs would not support him. So he fell to the dusty ground, the dry dirt rising around him like a cloud.

"Shinta!"

He faintly heard Kaoru's voice, but he did not have the power to call back to her. He felt powerless, so he lay on the bare earth, in humble resignation to his fate.

Running to him, Kaoru managed to drag the limp form of her husband beneath the sakura trees. The leaves let themselves be tugged by the playful wind, oblivious of the two forms beside its banks. Kaoru gently put Kenshin's head in her lap, her hand caressing his vibrant red hair. He weakly lifted his hand and brushed Kaoru's cheek, unmarred by scars of war, although very pale. She clasped his hand to her cheek, afraid to let go. Afraid to lose him. Like she had lost a mother and a father.

"Kaoru, I am so very glad that sessha was able to see you once more. I regret not being able to say goodbye to all my friends, though."

He gasped as a wave of pain slammed into him, forcing him to momentarily lose his breath. Kaoru couldn't stand to watch her husband.

She cried. Tears ran out of her beautiful eyes; staining, streaking tears. Kenshin felt the warm saltwater as the tears fell on his face, mingling with his own. He was not afraid to die. He was afraid of the misery he was causing by his death. Misery and heartache.

Reaching out, he wiped away the tears that forced themselves out of the eyes he had fallen in love with. Tears that he was causing.

"Kaoru, do not cry on my behalf. We shall be together again one day. When that day comes we will walk sunny fields with beautiful flowers. We will tread long forgotten paths of the forests. We will gaze out at the ocean together. Our love will be perfect then. That's the way it shall be."

She felt his hand go limp. He was still conscious, but his eyes were closing slowly, as if a heavy weight was dragging them down.

"Shinta, don't go. Don't leave me alone. Stay here with me. Shinta!"

Kenshin was vaguely aware that Kaoru was calling him by his former name. A smile crossed his face. A smile of utter peace and contentment.

He felt himself falling deep into a dark abyss. The strong smell of white plum, jasmine, blood, and sake seemed to fill his entire being. Images of his life flashed by. He could see himself as a young child burying his slave masters. He saw himself training with Hiko, their swords glittering in the afternoon sun. Then he saw himself killing, his victims looking at him sightlessly, their dead gaze pierced his soul. Images of the friends he had made over the years flashed by, their faces lingering in his mind as they moved on. Yahiko, Megumi, Sanosuke, Dr. Genzai and his granddaughters, Aoshi, Misao, Okina and the Oniwabanshuu, and the many friends he had made on his travels as a vagabond.

Suddenly, the image of Tomoe appeared. He started to weep for her, but she smiled at him, her second love. He could not bring himself to look at her. Her image was replaced by Kaoru, smiling down at him, her love radiating from that simple smile. For her, Kenshin smiled.

Suddenly, there was nothing. Darkness pervaded. There was neither noise, nor sound. Also, no pain. Kenshin slipped into the eternal slumber of death.

Kaoru sat rocking the lifeless form of her husband, grieving with all her might. She looked as the face that had captivated her since they had met. The intense violet eyes were closed, never to open again. His face seemed serene, a tranquility that could not be broken. A smile was etched into his features.

He had died happy.

Kaoru knew that she would soon join him, but it did not stop her from mourning. Nothing could and nothing would. Many sleepless nights would pass before they would meet again.

Many tear-stained nights.

Author's comments:

Yeah, I know I'm depressing. This is my first fan fiction, I hope it wasn't that bad. I didn't see the episode where Kenshin died, but I read about it. Sorry if there are many things I have missed.

I didn't use to many Japanese terms because there wasn't much dialogue. The idea came to me while I was thinking about stuff. The part where it talks about the "strong smell of white plum, jasmine, blood, and sake" was what got this whole thing going if you can believe it. The actual phrase came from a book where this guy dies and he thinks he smells dead flowers. Sounded good to me.

-Razvanor


End file.
